Battery-plate construction



Nov. 23 1926.

T. S. COLE BATTERY PLATE CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 8 1924 M f. w M n i llll c l l c u n e away' WATTORNEY Patented Nov. Z3, 1926.

u star-ns PATENT OFFlCE.

'lI-EODORE S. COLE, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTCUT, ASSIG-NOR TO THE SAFETY CAR Y HEATING @a LLGHTING' COMPANY, A CORORATGN OF NEW JERSEY.

BATTERY-PLATE Application lecl October 8,

This invention relates to storage battery construction and more particularly to plate construction tor such storage or secondary batteries.

yfine ot the objects of this invention to provide a storage battery plate ot simple and practical construction and etlicient action. Another object is to provide a plate construction which will be capable ot relatively inexpensive and rapid manufacture and simple and rapid assembly tor actual practical use. Another object is to provide a construction of the above nature, as well as a storage cell which will be strong and durable, and capable ot long and dependable service. Another object is to provide such a construction wherein the material of the plate is su'liiciently utilized to afford not only a large proportion ot' active surface, but also mechanical strength to meet dependably the conditions of hard practical use. Another object is to provide such a construction wherein provision is made tor effectively taking care ot expansion of the metal ot the plate either during 'formation ot the plate or .in operation, more particularly expansion in different degrees, without det-racting from other thoroughly practical advantages of the invention. Other objects will be in part obvious or in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the Yfeatures of construction, combinations ot elements, and arrangements of parts as will be exemplified in the structure to be hereinafter described and the scope ot the application or which will be indicated in the t'ollowing claims.

ln the accompanying` drawing, in which is shown one ot the various possible embodiments of this invention.

Figure 1 is a vertical, substantially central. sectional view ot a storage cell, showing in side eleva-tion a plate unit, certain parts being brolren away to show the construction nore clearly.

litigare 2 is a sectional view as seen along the line 2 2 et Fig. 1, certain parts being omitted. and

Figure is a fragmentary sectional view on a larger scale as seen substantially along the line 3m?, et Fig. 2. certain parts being omitted.

Similar reference characters reter to similar parts throughout the se Yeral views ot I the drawing.

CONSTRUCTION.

1924. Serial No. 742,358.

Referring now to the drawing` and more particularly to Figure 1, there is indicated generally at l() a contamer, in general ot rectangular shape, and composed ot any bottom member 11 in order that the former may mechanically reentorce the latter. Within the container' 10 and supported upon the upstanding'ribs 12 is a plurality orn active plates, one ot which is generally indicated in Figure v1 at 13, and is shown in this figure in side elevation. lnasmuch as these plates, the number ot which may vary in accordance with the capacity which it is intended that the storage cell shall have and lthe positive and negative members ot which are arranged alternately, are preferably ot similar construction, it will suttice to consider inv detail the construction of only one ot these plates. f

Each plate, as the plate generally indicated at 13, is built up ot a plurality roi sheetlike sections or leaves positioned face to tace, electrically connected together, as will be more clearly hereinafter described. andmechanically held together in assembled relation. In Figure 2 ot thel drawing, in which is clearly shown a section ot one ot these plates. the latter is shown as being formed ot toursheet-lilre sections or leaves, generally indicated at 1e, 15, 16 and 17. These sheetlike. sections 11, 15, 16 and 17 are preferably formed ot sheet lead, and in so tar as the specilic details ot construction oft these individual sheets is concerned, l prefer to embody therein the constuction disclosed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 400,996, tiled rltugust 3, 1920 patented J an. 13, 192V, Patent No. 1,522,613. Accordingly, reference vmay be had to my abovementioned disclosure for these preferred 'features ot construction, but it may be noted here that each sheet-like section 14:, 15, 16 and 17 ot lead, is preferably formed out ot sheet lead having a thickness in the neighborhood of one-twentieth of an inch; each l (lo of these sheet-like sections is shaped, by any suitable mechanical means, into the form substantially shown in the drawinO'. Asis shown in Figure 1, wherein the sheet-like section 14; of the plate 13 is clearly seen in side elevation, the sheet-like section 14 is shaped to provide about the periphery of the individual section or leaf a border portion 18, and extending laterally across the sheetk or section is a plurality of ribs or uncut portions 19 (see also Fig. 2), The laterally extending ribs 19 are connected by a plurality of parallel vertical bars orelements 20, all of these parts or portions of each sheetlilre section being preferably formed integrally one with another and outofthe initial sheet of lead.

As is further set forth in the above-inentioned disclosure, the bars 20 are preferably given a circular cross-section, as is clearly shown in the sectional view on an enlarged scale in Figure 3. Vith this construction of each of the sheet-like sections 14, 15, 16 and 17, many practical advantages are achieved; in this connect-ion it might be pointed out more specifically that there results such a relation between the stresses exerted by the active material being formed on each bar 2O as by the Plante process, or during the action in use of the plate, to the resistance of each bar 2O to elongation, that the expansive stresses exerted upon the bar by the active material undergoing change thereon are never exceeded by the resistance of the base metal of the bar 2O itself to elongation. Accordingly, each bar 20 may follow the changes which the active material undergoes, principally upon formation, and thus each sheet-like section, as the sections 14, 15, 16 and 17, for example, may similarly follow the changes to which the active `material is subjected. lilith the arrangement and construction, as specifically shown and.y described herein for achieving the above described action, shedding or peeling of the active material from the base metal of the active plate portions is eflectively avoided; similarly uniformity of action and freedom from warping in use, in so far as each individual sheet-like section is concerned, are effectively achieved.

Considering now more in detail the mechanical relation to each other of the sheetlike sections of the plate 13, it may first be pointed out that the plate 18 comprises two outer sheet-like sections or leaves 1a and 17`- and a plurality of inner or intermediate leaves, shown as two in number, namely, the sections 15 and 16 (see Fig. 2) It may further be pointed out that in a plate built up of a plurality of sheet-like sections or leaves, it is found that during the action of the plate, particularly during the process of formation of theactivematerial upon the base lead, the outersections or leaves, such as the sections 14 and 17, for example, of Figure 2, are more active than theinner or 1ntermediate leaves, such as the leaves 15 or 16,

and thus partake of a greater degree ofr change, specifically of expansion as during the formation process. One of the dominant aims of this invention is to provide a construction wherein such different degrees of expansion of the individual sections or leaves may freely taire place withoutcausirg` undesirable results, such as buckling or distortion, for example.

In carrying out this fea-ture of this invention, I preferably form the two outer leaves or sections 'l-land 17 out of a single sheet of lead and ofsuflicient length to in clude therein these two leaves. j rlhis single or integral member out of which the two leaves le and 17 are formed is then bent or folded over the bottom edges-of the intermediate or inner leaves 15V and 16, as is indicated clearly in Figures 1 and 2 at 21. All of the leaves or sheet-like sections, illustratively shown as four in number, and comprising thetwo outer lea-ves lll and 17 and the two intermediate leaves 15 and 16, are then mechanically andelectrically connected together-along their upper edges or at the top of the plate. This connection is preferably made as by burning the sections 'together along theirupper edge, as along the'edge 22 (see Figl). The intermediate sections or leaves 15 and 16 have formed thereon depending lugs 15EL and 16, respectively (see Fig. 2), shown as two in number for each of the intermediate sheet-like sections. Reg: istering lugs of adjacent intermediate sections, such as the lugs `15a and 16a of Figure 2 are securely fastened together, as by burning, for example, thus forming two rigid downwardly projecting lugs spaced laterally of the plate as a whole, and thus to forni rigid struts or legs for supporting the plate out of contact with the bottom 11 of the container 16. Preferably, these spaced supporting legs are spaced in like degree with the spacing of the upstanding ribs 12 in the bottom member 11, so that the former may rest upon the latter. These upstanding ribs 12, being of inert material, thus effectively hold any conductive parts of any of the plates 13 in the container 10 out of contact with any conductive or active material which may be freed from the battery plates and be deposited upon the bottom 11 of the container l0. The bottom surfaces of the lugs 15n and 16L resting upon the ribs 12 are preferably recessed as indicated at 16b in Figure 1, so that the ribs enter these recesses and the plates are thereby held `against lateral displacement Within the casing.

The two spaced lugs, such as the member 16EL of Figure 1, formed by burning together registering depending lugs of adjacent intermediate sections of the plate,pass through suitable openings formed in the single sheet out of which the outer sections 111 and 17 are formed. In Figure 1 these openings are shown at 22 and 28, and it will be seen that these openings are cut in the sheet out of which the two outer plate sections are formed at that portion thereof where the single sheet of lead is bent or looped around the lower edge portions of the intermediate plate sections.

Each of the individual sheet-like sections of the plates 13 is provided with an upwardly directed lug 24 (Figs. 1 and 2), lugs 2421 of adjacent registering sheet-like sec tions being burned together with the burnino together of the upper edge portions 18 ol' these sections. Adjacent plates 13 are separated from each other by a suitable separator 25a, suitably porous or preferably thus to prevent short-circuiting of adjacent plates 3 of opposite polarity while, at the same time, permitting free circulation of the electrolyte therethrough. The upstanding lugs 24 of plates of like polarity are burned to an inter-connecting conducting bar 25 extending transversely of the container 10. Similarly upstanding lugs 2st of plates 13 of the other polarity are burned to an interconnecting lug or bar 26. To each of these inter-connecting lugs 25 and 26 is secured a suitable vertically and upwardly extend` ing terminal member 27, preferably of cylindrical shape, and provided at its upper end with any suitable means, such as a clamping device, for making an electrical connection to the plates of the cell.

Each of these terminal members 27 passes through a suitable stuliing box in the upper or closing wall 28 of the container 10J This stuiiing box may comprise an annular depending flange portion 29, through which the terminal 27 passes and forming a support for a suitable packing material 30, which may conveniently take the form, for exan'iple, of a. soft rubber washer. A bushinnj 3l surrounds the terminal 27 and is threaded into the opening in the cover plate 2S into which vthe packing material 30 is received, thus permitting the latter to be con'ipressed to any desired degree to hold the parts in tight sealing relation. More speciically, it will be noted that the construction of the stuffing box is such that the terminal members 27 may partake of a movement relative to the cover plate 28 while maintaining the seal between the parts.

Consider-mg now briefly the action of this plate construction and mounting, it might irs't be pointed out that each composite plate 13 is supported upon the upstanding ribs 12 of the bottom member 11 of the container 10. Bearing in mind that the lugs (162L of Fig.` 1) are downwardly directed extensions of the inner sections 15 and 16 perforated, as indicated in the drawings,

of the composite plate 13, it may first be pointed out that the inner sections, as the members 15 and 16, may freely expand in a vertical direction in response to the changes brought about by the formation of the active material upon the active elements of these inner sections. Thus, the stuffing boxes permit the terminals 27 to move therethrough vertically in response to any tendency of the upper edge portions of the inner members 15 and 16 to be moved upwardly by any expanding` tendencies or actions of the active material thereon. At the same time, however, it will-be noted that the outer sheet-like sections 1dand 17 which, as above pointed out, are subjected to a greater expansive tendency by the active material, particularly during the process of formation, are free to expand in a downward direction with respect to 'the upper edge portions 18 ofthe inner sections 15 and 16 to which the outer sections are rigidly secured. VVlhus, there is achieved such an independence of mechanical action of the outer plate sections with respect to the inner sections that undesired buckling or distortion of the sections or leaves is effectively prevented. ln this connection, it might also be pointed out lthat during the charge and discharge of the battery, expansion and contraction, respectively, of the plates tends to take place; but even during such operation of the battery, entire flexibility and independence of action, as above described, of the outer plate sections with respect to the inner plate sections may readily take place, thus also safeguarding the plates against warping, buckling or distortion, even during the actual operation of the battery. 'More particularly is the above described construction adapted for use in the positive plate of the, storage cell, inasmuch as the greatest changes, due to the formation of active material upon the plate, take place in the positive plate.

It may also be noted at this point Ythat each composite plate is of a highly advantageous compact construction; the outer plate sections 14 and 17, being in effect connected together (as at 21) at their lower ends so as to envelope the lower end edges of the intermediate plate sections, thus form substantially a mechanical casing for the intermediate plates, holding the latterl in the desired mechanical relation, but additionally constitute material portions of ,the ac tive sections of the composite plate. The outer sections 14 and 17, thus arranged, may thusnot only contribute to the etticient electrical and mechanical action of each composite plate, but also act to insure and maintain the desired mechanical relation between the several sections or leaves of the coinposite plate. A distinct advantage from this arrangement resides in the fact that it,

becomes quite feasible, and l prefer, to use simple forms of separators between adjacent plates, such as the members 25a. 1

While l have hereinabove specilically .illustrated and described my invention in conjunction specifically with plate sections accordingl to the disclosure in my abovementioned co-pending application, it will be understood that many of the advantages of this invention may be achieved with other forms of individual sections, but that the advantages of my invention may be realized in practice to a peculiarly greater extent with the preferred embodiment illustratejl.

lt will thus be seen that there has been provided in this invention a storage cell and plate construction in which the Several objects hereinbefore pointed out and many thoroughly practical advantagesare achieved. struction is'of such a character as to lend itself readily to inexpensive manufacture,`

all matteiI hereinbefore set forth is to be iii-4 terpreted illustrative and not in a limit ing sense. y

l claim as my invention:

l. ln storage battery construction, in combination, a plate comprising a` plurality of slieetdillie sections, means for supporting one of said sections in substantially upright position within a container, said one section having a downwardly directed extension adapted to rest upon a part of the bottom of said container, and means for supporting another of said sections in dependingrelation with respect to said first-mentioned section, said two sections being; capable of indepencent relative longitudinal expansion sind contraction, said other section havinp` inea-ns for slidably engaging` said downwardly directed extension to guide said plates in their relative. movements of expansion or contraction.

2. ln storage battery construction, in combination, a plate comprising a plurality of sheet-like sections, means for supportine one of said sections in substantiallyupright position within a container and arranged to permit said section, upon expansion thereof,

to elongate in an upward direction inde` pendently of the other sections, and means for supporting another of said sections with respect to said first-mentioned section to permit, upon expansion, elongation thereof in a downward direction independently of said first section.

lt will also be seen that the con-,

3. In storage battery construction, in combination, a plate comprising` a plurality of sheetdiko sections adapted to rest in sub-` stantially upright position in a storage battei-y container, means for supporting the inner section of said plate to permit elongation, upon expansion thereof, in an upward direction, and means for supporting" the outer sections of saidplate to permit elongation, upon expansion thereof, in a downward direetion. y Y

l. In storage battery construction', in com` binatioii, a plate comprising a plurality oil sleet-lilte tions adapted to rest in sub-- .s1-initially upright 'position in a storage b1i1- `tory container, means. for supporting1 the inner section of said plate to permit elonga tion, upon eiqiansion thereof, in an upward direction, and means l'or supporting the outer sections of said plate in depending ai" `relation from the upper ends of said inner section of said plate'.` y

5. In storage battery construction, in com` .1 w L hina .ilre sections adapted to rest in substantially upright position in a storage battery container, means for supportuo' the t, inner section of said plate topermit elongation, upon expansion thereof, in an upward direction, and means for supporting the outer sections of said plate to permit elongation, upon expansion thereof, in a down ward direction, said sections having inter engaging parts adapted to guide one section relative to the other upon. relative movement therebetween taking place. Y

6. ln storage battery construction, in coinbination, a plate con'iprising,` a plurality of sheet-like sections adapted to rest in sub stantially upright position in storage battery container, means associated with the bottom of said container adapted to support in substantially upright position but spaced therefrom an inner section of said plate, and means for supporting the outer sections of said plate in depending relation with4 re! spect to said inner section.

7. ln storage battery construction, in combination, a plate comprisin?,` a plurality of sheet-like sections adapted to rest in sub stantially Aupright position in a storage but* tery container, means associated with the bottom of said container adapted to support in substantially upright position but spaced tl'ierefrom an inner sectionof said plate, and means for supporting` the outer sections of said plate in depending` relation from the upper end of said inner section.

8. In storage battery construction, in coinbination, a plate comprising Aa plurality ot' sheet-like sections adapted to rest in sub stantially upright4 position ina storage battery container, means for supporting an inner section of said plate in substantially upright position within said container but in, a plate comprising` a plurality of lilfi lao spaced from the bottom of said container, means for supporting the outer sections of said plate in depending relation with respect to said inner section, and means for mechan ically connecting together said outer sections adjacent their lower ends, said last-mentioned means being integrally formed with said outer sections.

9. In construction for storage battery plates, in combination, a storage battery late comprising a plurality of leaves substantially parallel and face to face fixed together at their upperI ends, the two outer leaves having means connecting their lower ends and the intermediate plates having supporting parts projecting through openings in said connecting means, said intermediate leaves being fixed together adjacent saidr projecting parts thereof;

10. In construction for storage battery plates, in c mbination, a storage battery plate comprising a plurality of leaves substantially parallel and face to face Xed together at their upper ends, the two outer leaves having means connecting their lower ends, and the intermediate leaves having parts adapted to support the same in upright position and projecting through openings in said connecting means.

11. In construction for storage battery plates, in combination, a storageV battery plate comprising a plurality of leaves substantially parallel and face to face fixed together at their upper ends, the two outer leaves comprising one continuous member unconnected with the inner leaves except at said upperends and the intermediate leaves being fixed together adjacent their lower ends,

1Q. In construction for storage battery plates, in combination, a storage battery plate comprising a plurality of leaves substantially parallel and face to face, the two outer leaves comprising a continuous member extending about one end of the intermediate leaves, and said intermediate leaves having parts adapted to support them in upright position and extending through openings in said continuous member.

18. In construction for storage battery plates, in combination, a storage battery plate comprising a plurality of plate-like sections substantially parallel and face to face, the outer sections thereof being connected together at one end and the intermediate plates projecting through openings in said connecting part.

14. In constructionv for storage battery plates, in combination, a storage battery plate comprising a plurality of plate-lile sections substantially parallel. and face to face, means joining said sections together and adapted to permit relative longitudinal expansion thereof, and means adapted to guide said plates relative to each other in their movements of relative expansion.

15. In construction for storage battery plates, in combination, a storage battery plate built up of a plurality of leaves positioned substantially parallel and face to face and connected at their upper ends, the two outer leaves thereof being connected together at their lower ends and unconnected with the intermediate leaves except at said upper end connection.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 24th day of September, 1924.

ri-inononn s. conn. 

